Nigeria Demands Return of Looted Cultural Artefacts From Britain

Nigerian authorities have vowed to ensure full scale repatriation of the country’s stolen cultural goods from the British government and other parts of the world.

In an interview with VON in London on Tuesday, Nigeria’s Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed shared the outcome of his meeting with the authorities of the British Museum over the deliberate initiative and campaign of returning Nigeria’s stolen artifacts as kick started by the Nigerian government.

Tthe Minister stated that other Western countries have began taking the path of honour by accepting to return such properties.

He said Nigeria would not rest until such cultural goods are repatriated.

The Information Minister urged the British government to respond to Nigeria’s official request and release those artifact in the British museums.

“Before now, they said we did not make a demand, but in October last year, almost nine months ago we made a formal request for the return of the artefacts especially the Benin bronzes for which we have not got any response.

“We made them understand that our quest and clamour is for the return of the Benin bronzes and all other artefacts that were stolen and looted to their origin.

“I said they should take a cue from Germany which was neither our coloniser nor the one that looted the artefacts but which has yielded to pressure and signed an agreement to return 1,130 Benin bronzes to us.

“We also made it clear to them that they cannot hide under legislation and no Act of Parliament will make what you have stolen to become yours,” he said.

Returning Artifects

The Nigerian Minister said he reminded the officials that Universities of Aberdeen and Cambridge had respectively returned the looted artefacts in their custody.

“All over the world, countries like France, Belgium, Germany are returning the artefacts located in their domains. Also Canada has also promised to do so.

“Nigeria would not rest until Britain do the right thing by returning what they looted from our country a century back.

The artefacts, mostly Benin bronzes were looted by British soldiers when they occupied Benin city in 1887, while some were stolen by explorers,” the Minister explained.

It would be recalled that Jesus College at the University of Cambridge was the first UK institution to restitute a Benin bronze to Nigeria.

The Minister said after 124 years, a bronze cockerel, known as Okukor, that was donated to the college by the father of a student in 1905 was returned to the country last year.

This was followed by the University of Aberdeen which restituted a bronze sculpture, which depicts the head of an Oba (king).

The artefact, one of thousands of religious and cultural artefacts looted by British forces in 1897 was purchased by the University at an auction in 1957.

It would also be recalled that Nigeria has launched an official campaign through the Minister of Information and Culture  for the  repatriation of all her looted cultural artefacts and the process had since began.

Confidence Okwuchi